


The Lion, The Badger and, The Cup

by bukalay



Series: Harry Potter Oneshots and Drabbles [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Gen, Potion of Regeneration, Prophecy, Resurrection Ritual, Seer, Sybil Trelawney's Prophecy, Triwizard Tournament
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:15:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26893537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bukalay/pseuds/bukalay
Summary: Halloween evening, the selection of the Triwizard Tournament Champions were underway, before the first name was spat out by the Goblet of Fire, Professor Sybil Trelawney went into a trance and spoke of a prophecy, how does the prophecy change the plot?
Relationships: Cedric Diggory & Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Fleur Delacour & Cedric Diggory & Viktor Krum & Harry Potter, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry & Harry Potter
Series: Harry Potter Oneshots and Drabbles [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922245
Comments: 1
Kudos: 29





	The Lion, The Badger and, The Cup

"Now the moment you've all been waiting for, the Champion Selection!"

With the raise of his hand, Dumbledore dimmed the flames that lit the room for some dramatic ambiance.

Hogwarts's headmaster approached the Goblet of Fire when Professor Trelawney got into one of her trances.

**Four animals ventured into the forest.**

**A cup separated the Badger and the Lion from the set**

**A rat administered lethal injection unto the badger while the lion is subjected to torture.**

**When all else is done, the dark master rises.**

Murmurs erupted from the people present as the Divination Professor snapped out of her trance. She seemed confused as to where she was at the moment.

"Professor Sinistra, could you escort Professor Trelawney back to her quarters?" Dumbledore ordered.

The Astronomy professor obliged and left the great hall while holding unto the Divination Professor.

The muggleborn and half-blood wizards and witches looked at each other as they internalized what Professor Trelawney uttered.

The purebloods on the other hand were simply confused.

"Hey Hermoine," Seamus hissed. "Is it possible?"

"It couldn't be right?" Dean offered. "Considering the confused looks most of them have, they don't have a clue what's going on either."

"Oh please." Hermoine rolled her eyes. "It's Professor Trelawney."

"Besides, this is the Triwizard Cup." Colin offered. "Professor Trelawney clearly said four."

"Exactly!" Hermoine smiled, happy that people knew Professor Trelawney for the fraud that she was.

"Without further delays, the Champion Selection!"

* * *

Everyone was in a state of shock as soon Harry's name was called.

Even the most attentive of student forgot about the prophecy Professor Trelawney due to the shock of having _four_ Triwizard champions for the tournament.

Everyone went to their rooms with a variety of feelings.

The Hufflepuffs felt cheated because a Gryffindor wanted more fame and glory.

Malfoy smirked as an idea formed in his mind.

The Ravenclaws, while not totally affected by the announcement, rolled their eyes at the spotlight hogging Gryffindors.

The Gryffindors were glad that someone in their house managed to get in.

Harry, on the other hand, was conflicted. He didn't want to enter into the tournament. After three consecutive years of having his life threatened, there was one thing he wanted more than anything else.

He just wanted to have a normal academic year, where he would cheer for Hogwarts's champion.

* * *

It wasn't until after the yule ball when Hermoine remembered the prophecy made by Professor Trelawney.

Hermoine woke up with a realization and immediately went down to the common room to talk with some of the half-bloods and muggleborns.

"Seamus! The prophecy!" Hermoine hissed.

"What prophecy?" Dean questioned.

"Granger must be talking about the one Professor Trelawney made before the champions were selected." Colin sat on the couch.

"What about it?"

"Honestly?!" Hermoine rolled her eyes. "Triwizard _cup, four_ animals? Ring any bells?"

"You don't mean?"

"Yes!"

"So the Badger refers to Diggory then?" A sixth year muggleborn asked. "Potter is the lion?"

"I thought you said Professor Trelawney was a fraud?" Seamus questioned.

"I know what I said!" Hermoine hissed. "Honestly, this is the fourth consecutive year since Harry has had to fight for his life!"

"Has Justin even figured out the prophecy?" Seamus questioned.

"Probably not." Dean shook his head. "The Hufflepuffs were understandably angry when Harry's name was called." He sighed. "Considering the Potter stinks badges."

"Malfoy was the one who made them." Colin pointed out.

"Which the Hufflepuffs wear with pride." Dean argued.

Neville, all the Weasleys and a few more students decided to come to the common room when they heard murmurs at the common room.

"I'm sorry, could anyone repeat what Professor Trelawney said?" Ron requested as he sat down on the floor

"Four animals ventured into the forest. A cup separated the Badger and the Lion from the set. A rat administered lethal injection unto the badger while the lion is subjected to torture. When all else is done, the dark master rises." A seventh year quoted.

"You got all that?" Ron questioned.

"NEWTs are coming up." The seventh year shrugged.

"I'm sorry, but what's lethal injection?" Ginny questioned.

Hermoine looked at her fellow muggleborns but all of them simply gulped and didn't want to elaborate on the term.

"Think of it as the muggle's equivalent to the dementor's kiss," Hermoine offered. "But as painless and as deadly as the killing curse."

"Bloody Hell!" Ron exclaimed.

The purebloods in the room looked at the muggleborns and half-bloods who were wincing at Hermoine's blunt explanation.

"Then that means, Harry could go under the Cruciatus curse." Neville gasped.

"So Harry was a target." Ron sagged.

Of course he was!" Hermoine growled at the Weasley. "It's the fourth consecutive year!"

"What are we going to do about it then?" Dean questioned his fellow Gryffindors.

"Let's tell the-"

-head of the house." The Weasley twins suggested.

"Granger you're with me to inform Professor Mcgonagall, Finnigan and Thomas you go inform Finch-Fetchley or Professor Sprout of what we've deciphered in the prophecy, this concerns their house as well." The Gryffindor's head girl declared.

* * *

It wasn't long until all the four champions were made aware of the prophecy and the Hermoine's interpretation.

"I guess, congratulations are in order?" Viktor offered his hand to Hogwarts's champions.

Cedric simply gulped as he mulled over the prophecy's interpretation.

According to the Gryffindors, the badger in the prophecy referred to him, and Potter is the lion. If he got the interpretation right, both he and Potter would be subjected to horrible fates, Potter moreso than him, but it didn't make his fate any less disconcerting.

Cedric was second guessing his reasons for entering the tournament. He had known beforehand that the Triwizard tournament was being revived, courtesy of his father slipping that information one night during dinner.

That slip of tongue immediately clued Cedric in on what his father's expectations were. He resolved to join the tournament and began working on his preparations for the tournament earlier than everybody else.

One of the reasons Cedric even put his name in the Goblet of Fire was for the sake of his house. Hufflepuff house has faced a lot of stereotyping from a lot of people, especially from people who weren't Hufflepuffs to begin with. The tournament was supposed to dispel those stereotypes.

Cedric shook his head. He doesn't have time to second guess everything, especially now that his life was on the line, not that it wasn't before, but the dangers were now more apparent than before.

If there was anything to describe Cedric Diggory it's that he was a true Hufflepuff, hardworking and loyal to the core.

Cedric was doing this for everyone in Hufflepuff.

"Non!" Fleur exclaimed. "Monsieur Diggory could die in ze tournament and Monsieur Potter could be subjected to ze Cruciatus curse!"

Harry simply ignored his fellow champions as he thought over the facts that he knew of the Prophecy and its interpretation.

He had already figured out that this would eventually circle back to Voldemort, even if no one has connected the dots yet. It was the case for the last three years with Professor Quirrel, the Chamber of Secrets and Wormtail's betrayal, everything came back to his parents' killer.

Why should this be any different?

"Nothing is set in stone right?" Cedric offered a strained smile, as if trying to convince himself. "I wouldn't want my victory to hinge over the fact that you didn't give the tournament your all because of some dumb prophecy."

"If you think a prophecy is going to cover me. You do not know me." Viktor declared.

"Oui!" Fleur nodded. "Nozing is set in stone, zerefore I won't stop giving zis tournament my all."

* * *

In the headmaster's room, some of the teachers have gathered to discuss the recent revelations.

"Albus, we need to stop this tournament immediately." Professor Mcgonagal insisted. "It's not just Potter, more people are getting involved!"

"Its war Professor Mcgonagall," Professor Snape argued.

"They're not soldiers! They're merely boys!" The deputy headmistress argued. "Surely you know about that Severus."

"The prophecy came from Trelawney." Professor Snape raised an eyebrow. "Even you admit that her prophecies aren't always accurate, she always says that a student will die every single school year."

"I admit, her prophecies leave much to be desired but it is one thing to predict a death of a student without evidence and it's another when people see the connections between the events and the prophecy."

"What do you suggest we do Minerva?" Dumbledore turned his back on the Penseive.

"Call off the tournament." Professor Mcgonagall insisted.

"How do you suggest we figure out who slipped Potter's name into the goblet then?" Professor Snape challenged.

The deputy headmistress had no alternative solution to the problem. She agreed that the person who put in Harry's name into the goblet must be found as it was in direct violation of the Ministry's rules.

"If I may Headmaster." Professor Moody stood up. "Why don't we invite some aurors and station them inside the school grounds during the duration of the tournament." He stood beside the potions master. "That way we can have an investigation going and ease the headmasters of the guest schools with the security of the school."

"That doesn't address the prophecy." Professor Sprout barged in.

"Pomona." The Headmaster acknowledged the Herbology professor.

"Don't you think it's unfair for Mr. Diggory to continue on with the tournament knowing it'll end in his death?" Professor Sprout challenged the headmaster. "That's not even mentioning that Mr. Potter could undergo the effects of the Cruciatus curse."

"How do you suggest we continue on," Professor Snape challenged. "Both with the tournament and the investigation?"

Professor Sprout had no words to respond. She didn't know any alternatives to proceed, she was just concerned for the students' welfare, especially the one under her care.

* * *

The prophecy's interpretation spread like wildfire during the following days. A lot of the students, particularly the Slytherins, reasoned out that the Gryffindors were simply using scare tactics so that the _real_ Hogwarts's champion wouldn't compete.

"Jokes on them," Draco chuckled. "Professor Dumbledore even said that there's no turning back."

"Potter definitely stinks." Crabbe laughed along.

It wasn't long until the group arrived at the Great Hall and sat down, where everyone was already assembled.

"Your attention please." Professor Mcgonagall rang her goblet.

Headmaster Dumbledore stood up as he addressed the students of Hogwarts and their guests from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang.

"It is with great honor that I award Mr. Seamus Finnigan and Mr. Dean Thomas five points each for letting House Hufflepuff know of Gryffindor's interpretation of the Prophecy."

Everyone from the Gryffindor house clapped with glee with the announcement.

"They both showed compassion, care and worry for their fellow Hogwarts students." The Headmaster explained.

Everyone clapped at the explanation.

"I would also like to award Mr. Justin Finch-Fletchley and Mr. Ernie Mcmillian five points each for showing great loyalty to their house by immediately informing their entire house of the prophecy's interpretation."

The Great Hall was filled with applauses with the awarding of points that happened as this was a rare occurrence.

"However." Dumbledore increased his voice's volume, silencing the hall. "It is because of that prophecy that we, as Hogwarts's teachers and staff, have decided to impose a new rule in overseeing this tournament."

Murmurs erupted from the students.

Many still believed that the supposed interpretation was Gryffindor's way of scaring the Hufflepuffs, especially their champion Cedric Diggory, into cowering from the tournament altogether. Some Hufflepuffs seem believe this to be the case.

"We have decided to invite a few aurors, those that our very own Professor Alastor Moody has trained during his days as an auror." Dumbledore gestured to the teacher in question. "We have also decided to station a teacher from each school inside the vicinity of the tournament however they are not to interfere with the tournament's progression."

* * *

Soon, the second task came and went. The four champions had to save the hostages closest to them from under the lake.

With the champions were a few aurors submerged in the lake, far enough not to be noticed by the merpeople and grindylows but near enough to guard each champion from outside interferences and attacks.

All of the aurors had used the bubblehead charm that Hufflepuff's champion utilized in the second task, as such, it was instrumental in him placing first.

After the second task however, Bartemius Crouch Sr. was found dead at the forbidden forest, which made everyone believe in the prophecy more than ever. Some children had even written to their parents about what has happened.

Some had called for the cancellation of the tournament altogether.

"Albus! This has gone on long enough!" Professor Mcgonagall barged right into the room. "We need to cancel the tournament, lest we lose _all four of our contestants_!"

"I have already raised this with Minister Fudge." Dumbledore stood up and meet with his deputy. "He remains stubborn with keeping up pretenses."

"The devil with Fudge and his pretenses, why do you accommodate the Ministry anyway? You haven't accommodated them in years."

"I have to agree with Professor Mcgonagall headmaster." Professor Sprout stepped inside the room. "Are we just going to stand by as the prophecy unfolds? Leave Diggory to die and Potter tortured?"

"I fear Fudge is dead set on continuing the tournament with or without Hogwarts." Albus sighed.

"If I may headmaster, Karkaroff has expressed his concerns." Professor Snape stood up. "His Dark Mark has been _darkening,_ so to speak, and is fearful with the consequences that would follow."

"What do you propose Severus?"

"Continue with your last decision for the tournament but have one or two of our own, not Moody, to stand guard with the cup."

* * *

It was no surprise, with the spread of the Prophecy's interpretation, people already knew who would win the Triwizard tournament. The students of Beauxbaton and Durmstrang had certainly done all they can to prevent the prophecy from ever coming to pass.

The two headmasters had their respective students spar with their champions and help them train for the third task.

Finally, the day of the third task came.

The four champions have different thoughts with the task.

As soon as they saw the Hedges that covered the Quidditch Pitch, they immediately thought of the prophecy and the forest.

Despite his father's enthusiastic cheers and words, Cedric still felt like puking right then and there. It was one thing to know about getting past nesting dragons and it was another to know that you were going to die during this task.

Professor Sprout certainly went out of her way to suggest to her sixth years to help Cedric train and hopefully derail the grim fate that awaited him.

Harry was gulping the entire way to the Quidditch Pitch, despite Dumbledore's assurances. He was already dreaming of some graveyard, the traitor and Voldemort himself and with the added pressure of the prophecy, he can't help but feel nervous.

There was one thing he was sure, if it came to his or Cedric's life, he would prioritize the Hufflepuff's life.

Fleur, the French maiden competing in the tournament, had no real stakes apart from losing the eternal glory part. As a competitor, she was determined to change the prophecy.

Krum was also in the same boat, he was determined not to make the prophecy come into play. His pride as a magical athlete was at stake when nonprofessionals, and someone a lot younger than him, were to beat him in this tournament.

Professor Dumbledore had just finished his speech and beckoned for the two Hogwarts champions to their positions.

**BANG!**

With the cannon's fire, both Cedric and Harry went inside the maze before it closed behind them.

* * *

Cedric and Harry had just conceded on the both of them tying the competition. They figured that Hogwarts would still get the recognition even if the two of them tied in the competition. It'd certainly put some spotlight on Hufflepuff and some of its stereotypes being forgotten.

"On the count of three." Harry stated to Cedric.

Cedric simply nodded as he raised his hands and prepared to grab the cup.

"One."

Cedric looked behind him only to be greeted by the creatures that were chasing him and Harry were coming in close.

"Two."

Cedric focused his eyes on the cup.

"Three!"

Cedric and Harry felt someone hold onto their arms as the both of them grabbed the cup's handles, one for each of them.

They forgot the sensation however as soon as they were unceremoniously dropped unto a graveyard, flinging the Triwizard cup away from them.

The boys took a small breather as they recuperated from the impromptu teleportation the two of them had been subjected to.

Harry looked at his surroundings, the sense of familiarity immediately hit him but he just can't place where.

"Where are we?" Cedric questioned as he looked around.

"I've been here before." Harry stated as the sense of dread was filling him.

Cedric looked at the cup then at his companion.

"The cup is a Portkey." Cedric informed the Potter. "Where'd you think this sent us?"

"I don't know." Harry shook his head. "I just know I've been here before, in a dream."

"Part of the task then?" Cedric questioned.

"I don't think so." Harry denied. "The tournament is supposed to take place at the school."

"Wands out then?"

"Yeah."

Harry and Cedric let out their respective wands and held them tightly, ready to defend themselves from any possible threat.

"Cedric, get back to the cup!" Harry ordered as he traced his wand on the name engraved on the grave – Tom Riddle.

"Wha-?" Cedric rushed to his companion's side. "What are you talking about?!"

"Get back to the cup!" Harry repeated before crumpling to the ground.

Harry was holding his head, the side where his scar was located, as he screamed in pain.

Cedric tried to help his companion when he saw a figure holding a bundle covered with a single robe getting out from the house he hadn't noticed before.

The figure began to menacingly walk towards both boys.

"Who are you?!" Cedric pointed his wand at the figure. "What do you want?!"

"Kill the spare!" A voice that came from the robed bundle, hoarsely ordered.

" _Avada Kedavra!"_

"No!"

On what was sure to be a lethal attack on the Hufflepuff, did not connect as a stone slab was dropped in front of Cedric, blocking the Killing Curse – shattering it in the process.

As soon as the stone slab shattered, blades of grass rushed towards the attacking figure.

"Wormtail!"

The figure, Harry knew as Peter Pettigrew, cast shield charms on himself as the blades of grass disappeared as soon as they hit his shield.

" _Petrificus Totalus!"_

Cedric blocked the white orb coming at him.

" _Impedimenta!"_

Harry shot a blue orb at the traitor.

"Careful Cedric, that's Peter Pettigrew!" Harry cautioned. "He's a Death Eater!"

"Wha- Isn't he dead?"

Harry gave Cedric a barebones explanation on Sirius's innocence and how Pettigrew betrayed his parents. As the boys talked, rocks and blades of grass continued to rush at Pettigrew, pelting him with projectile attacks.

Pettigrew managed to erect a few layers of shield charms in front of him, disintegrating all the projectiles coming at him. He even managed to deflect incoming spells despite just casting multiple layers of shield charms.

The Death Eater continued to defend himself and the robed bundle on his person from the myriad of attacks and counter attacks he was receiving from Potter, Diggory and someone invisible.

Pettigrew wasn't stupid, he knew that the killing curse he cast should've killed the spare, but somehow a stone slab inexplicably fell in front of him and intercepted the attack? Diggory was still a boy, inexperienced and that inexperience should've been his downfall.

"Wormtail!" The bundle hoarsely called. "Why's it taking so long to kill a child?!"

"Forgive me master, but we also have an invisible attacker." Wormtail stuttered while deflecting a red orb coming his way.

"Capture Potter."

" _Incarcerous!"_

Harry had just sent another verbal spell towards the traitorous rat when a piece of rope latched onto his right wrist, and bound it to the nearby angelic statue.

"Harry!" Cedric shouted.

"No Cedric! Get back to the cup!"

"I'm not leaving you here!" Cedric rushed to Harry's aid and tried to pry the rope from the fourth year's wrist.

"They'll kill you!" Harry insisted. "They want me, you have to get out of here!"

" _Brachiabindo!"_

A long link of chains came out of Pettigrew's wand and latched onto Cedric's arms and looped around his torso, totally binding him.

"Cedric! No!"

Pettigrew apparated beside the bound Diggory, forced the Hufflepuff on his knees and placed his wand onto Cedric's neck.

"Anyone else out there! Yo-you b-better show yourself, o-o-or he g-gets it!" Pettigrew pushed his wand deeper into Cedric's neck.

Professor Sprout shed her invisibility cloak and dropped her wand.

"Good, good."

"Professor Sprout?" Harry questioned. "Wha-Huh?"

" _Incendio_."

Fire shot out of Wormtail's wand and burned the rope that held Harry in place.

"Now Harry, if you value their lives, you better do as I say."

Harry nodded as he stepped off of the grave as the traitor pointed the wand at the teacher-student pair.

"Hurry!"

Wormtail obliged his master's order and pointed his wand at Harry and immediately deposited him on another angelic statue and trapped the Potter between the statue's scythe and the angelic statue itself.

"Do it! Now!"

Pettigrew dumped the _robed bundle_ into the cauldron of boiling water.

"Bone of the father, unwillingly given." Pettigrew levitated a femur from the grave Harry was in and dumped it inside the boiling cauldron. "You will renew your son."

With Pettigrew busy with the ritual, Professor Sprout immediately picked up her wand and immediately grabbed hold of Cedric.

" _Accio: Triwizard Cup!"_

The Triwizard Cup rushed towards her and immediately teleported them away from the graveyard.

* * *

Cheers and applause greeted Cedric and Professor Sprout as they arrived in front of the crowd.

"Wha-Professor Sprout! What about Harry?!" Cedric struggled against his restraints.

"That's my boy!" Amos cheered alongside the audience. "That's my boy!

The crowd cheered even more alongside the Cedric's parents' exclamation.

"Mr. Diggory! Calm down!" Professor Sprout grabbed her student's shoulders. "Calm down." She urged.

"What about Harry?!" Cedric all but screamed his question, struggling against his restraints. "We left him to die in that graveyard."

"Potter is in good hands Cedric." Professor Sprout assured. "Professor Mcgonagall was also there with us in the graveyard." She added. "You don't have anything to worry about."

"No! I have to go back!" Cedric argued. "The prophecy!"

"It's because of the prophecy that I had to retreat with you." Professor Sprout held unto Cedric's shoulders tightly. "Whatever Potter's facing, Professor Mcgonagall will take care of it."

"Pomona, what happened?" Dumbledore all but jumped down to the arena.

"The cup was a PortKey to a graveyard." Professor Sprout reported. "Moody changed the cup's destination!

The Professor in question tried to escape from the commotion when both Ron and Hermoine noticed him.

" _Stupefy!"_

" _Petrificus Totalus!"_

Red and White orbs of light shot out of Hermoine's and Ron's respective wands. The spell's effect was instantaneous as Professor Moody was stunned and then collapsed on the bleachers, petrified.

"Severus, get a vial of Veritaserum." Dumbledore ordered. "Bagman, Fudge, and three aurors with me." He pointed at the people in question. "Hagrid, please find the real Moody and Filius, keep everyone in order."

The headmaster knelt down to Cedric's level. "I assure you Mr. Diggory, we will get Harry out of there."

Dumbledore looked at Cedric's worried face and knelt down to his height. "Don't worry Mr. Diggory, we'll save Mr. Potter."

" _Emancipare."_

The chains that bound Cedric was undone as he himself slumped towards his head of house.

* * *

"Flesh of the servant, willingly sacrificed." Pettigrew cut off his hand over the cauldron.

" _Accio: Severed hand."_

With the incantation, an unknown presence prevented the severed hand from falling into the boiling cauldron.

"N-no!" Pettigrew exclaimed as his severed hand was unceremoniously fell to the ground.

"This has gone on long enough Pettigrew!" Professor Mcgonagall shed her invisibility cloak and dropped in to the ground. "I am not about to subject Potter anymore to your supposed ritual."

"P-professor Mcgonagall." Harry exclaimed.

Professor Mcgonagall immediately fired a non-verbal spell at the unregistered animagus, stopping him in his tracks, petrified.

"Oh Mr. Potter, I apologize for waiting this long to take action." The deputy headmistress apologized to the trapped boy. "I will get you out of there."

With a wave of her wand, Harry was freed from the clutches of the angelic statue. He collapsed to the ground unable to support himself. Professor Mcgonagall immediately rushed to his side and tended his injuries.

"You intercepted the killing curse." Harry looked at his professor in awe.

"I don't know about you Potter, but we teachers are rather adept with magic." Professor Mcgonagall smirked.

Harry looked at his surroundings and noticed that neither Professor Sprout nor Cedric were around.

"Cedric? Professor Sprout?"

"Don't worry about them." Professor Mcgonagall assured her student. "With the Prophecy's existence, Professor Sprout and I decided to get Diggory out of this place immediately." She helped her student get comfortable on the ground as she waived her wand above him, casting a minor healing spell. "Had we not stood by the cup, the prophecy would have come to pass."

"Y-you were by the cup this whole time?" Harry blushed.

"We were." Professor Mcgonagall smirked. "It was rather sweet to see you both arguing that the other should be the champion."

"I still stand with what I said." Harry pouted. "Cedric was supposed to be the champion for Hogwarts and the goblet just had to spit out my name."

"And you still competed with the best of your abilities and more."

"Crouch said I had to compete."

"That he said, you could have just did poorly, but that wouldn't be Gryffindor-like, now would it?"

Not a moment too soon, Dumbledore alongside Bagman, Fudge and a few aurors arrived at the graveyard by way of the Triwizard cup and immediately secured the area from muggles and undesirable characters.

The aurors with the Headmaster immediately arrested Pettigrew right after closing the open wound from severing his hand.

A few more moments Madam Pomfrey and Professor Snape arrived at the scene. The Mediwitch immediately tended to Harry as the Potions master went on to identify the potion the rat animagus was brewing.

"Potion of regeneration." Snape answered. "It's one dark potion brew."

"Who was Pettigrew trying to regenerate?" Came Fudge's question.

"Who else?!" Professor Mcgonagall dryly commented.

"Impossible!" Bagman protested the answer. "He's been dead for thirteen years!"

"Dark Magic." Dumbledore stated

"Come again?"

"When the Chamber of Secrets was opened a couple of years ago, Mr. Potter gave me a curious artifact, a diary that once belonged to Voldemort."

Minister Fudge, Bagman, Mcgonagall and Snape all paid attention to Dumbledore's statement.

"Harry claimed that Voldemort preserved his sixteen year old self inside the diary." Dumbledore informed. "I fear that Voldemort may have created a Horcrux."

"Galloping Gargoyles! A Horcrux?!" Minister Fudge and Bagman exclaimed.

"He's the Darkest Wizard in modern times." Professor Snape stated. "He can stomach killing an infant, he can stomach making Horcruxes."

"That would explain Harry's first encounter with the Dark Lord during his first year."

"Merlin's beard, you mean to tell us that this isn't the second time Harry Potter has encountered the Dark Lord?" Minister Fudge gasped.

"Not even close." Dumbledore shook his head.

"Are you still doubting the story Mr. Bagman?" Professor Mcgonagall questioned.

"You-know-who died thirteen years ago and you tell me he can come back?!"

"We'll commission the services of Amelia Bones for this then." Dumbledore compromised. "Would that be amenable Minister Fudge?"

"Of course."

"If there is still some doubt, of the legitimacy of the claim," Professor Mcgonagall raised her wand and waved it at cauldron.

The cauldron shattered into pieces as its contents spilled to the ground, leaving only a charred bone and what seems to be a mangled body.

"Merlin's beard!" Fudge exclaimed.

* * *

While Dumbledore was in the graveyard where Cedric and Harry were sent to, a lot of things happened in Hogwarts. Professor Moody was in fact Barty Crouch Jr., who assaulted the real Alastor Moody and kept him barely alive for the purposes of keeping up his disguise.

As soon as Fudge was made aware, he immediately tried to order a kiss on sight on the Death Eater imposter, but was stopped by the arrival of one Amelia Bones.

"Are we really forgoing a trial Minister?" Amelia questioned the Minister. "One would think that you're trying to hide things with that decision, especially if we repeat the same mistakes as we did for one Sirius Black."

"Everyone would panic!" Minister Fudge exclaimed. "Merlin's most baggy Y-fronts it could spell disaster!"

"Are you really thinking of everyone's wellbeing or simply your self-interests?"

"H-how dare you?!"

Amelia Bones looked directly into the Minister's eyes.

"We prepare them." Madam Bones stated with finality.

Madam Bones looked at the aurors invited to stand guard in the school nodded at them.

"Place both Peter Pettigrew and Barty Crouch Jr. in a cell and make sure that none of them escape."

* * *

"It is with great honor that I present this Triwizard Cup to our winners, Harry James Potter and Cedric Diggory!"

It's been a week since the third and final task of the Triwizard tournament. The week off was given in consideration for the champions who faced lots of challenges during the final task of the tournament, especially Hogwarts's two champions.

Barty Crouch Jr. revealed that he placed Viktor Krum, Durmstrang's champion, under the influence of the Imperious curse and made him use the Cruciatus curse on the other two champions.

"How shall we do this?" Dumbledore questioned the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor who walked on stage. "There's only one cup and two of you."

Cedric and Harry grinned at each other and faced the headmaster.

"Actually Headmaster, Harry and I decided to leave the Triwizard Cup inside the school." Cedric stated.

"The both of us had decided that, in the end Hogwarts would still have the glory of winning the tournament." Harry supplied.

Everyone in the great hall cheered at the champions' declaration. It was a rare case of inter-house unity.

"For this display of unity, I award both Cedric Diggory and Harry Potter 100 points each!" Dumbledore announced.

The cheers and applause only got louder at the announcement.

"I would also like to call on the other champions in front," Dumbledore requested. "And join your fellow champions in their victory."

Fleur and Viktor stood up and congratulated the Hogwarts's students on the win.

The Headmasters of the schools involved also congratulated the champions and the winners for their brilliant display of resourcefulness, courage, intelligence and magical ability. Quite frankly, all four of them were wonderful in the tournament.

"I also present Cedric Diggory and Harry Potter their prize money of 1000 Galleons!"

Professor Mcgonagall and Professor Sprout gave their respective students a bag full of Galleons. Both Professors took the opportunity to congratulate and express how proud they are for the both of them.

"Now, why don't you boys go back to your seats?" Dumbledore smiled at the champions.

As soon as both boys were seated. Dumbledore declared. "Let the feast begin!"

A few minutes of lively discussion between everyone in the Great Hall, Professor Mcgonagall rang her goblet and grabbed everyone's attention.

"In a few hours, our guests from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons will be returning to their homes." Dumbledore announced. "As a special treat, why don't we show them our yearly tradition of awarding the house cup?"

Every Hogwarts student stood up and cheered.

"The current point standing are: In fourth place, Ravenclaw with 410 points; third place, Slytherin with 436 points; in second place, Gryffindor with 529 points; and in first place, with 555 points, Hufflepuff house."

Every Hufflepuff, from the students to the staff, cheered loudly. Some had even lifted their Triwizard champion and hoisted him in the air in pure glee.

"Congratulations Hufflepuff! You win the house cup!" Dumbledore declared.

The Headmaster clasped his hands together and raised them towards the banners that hung from the ceiling of the Great Hall. The Gryffindor banners were now replaced by Hufflepuff colors and insignia.

Every student in Hufflepuff threw their hats in the air in celebration, and those that were carrying Cedric, they opted to jump up high with glee.

* * *

At the center of Hogwarts's Trophy Room, Professor Mcgonagall and Professor Sprout placed the Triwizard Cup at the center of the room placed it inside a glass case.

With a wave of their wands, two banners, Gryffindor's and Hufflepuff's, were conjured from the ceiling and fell on both sides of the Cup's glass case. Both banners contained a magical photograph of their respective Triwizard Champion with their names below their respective photographs.

Below the cup was an inscription that read:

'Hogwarts's Triwizard Champions.'

* * *

(A mock up on what the trophy room would look like.)


End file.
